NHL Central Scouting's Blair MacDonald

"Derek was one of those players who was under the radar the whole season. A lot of teams were going to go see another player on his team, and I kept reminding guys to watch him too. He had a slow first half, but in the second half he got a lot more ice time and he made the most of it. He played on Langley's first line and did very well in the playoffs this year, carrying his team through. He's a big guy -- a very smart player and handles the puck well.  He was ranked in the sixth round at the mid-term and moved up to the second round in the final rankings. He was a guy that didn't initially get a lot of ice-time and he could surprise a lot of people."

Langley Chiefs head coach and GM Harvey Smyl

"Derek has really been a surprise for us in the sense that we knew he was a great player, but for him to come on the way he has in his first year in the BCHL has been outstanding and a testament to his hard work.  For a big guy, he's got great hands and surprisingly good speed, too.  He won't shy away from the physical side of things and has a great scorer's touch."